Chapter 22: The Cleansing of Lingying Sect’s Traitors

Since Sun Changbiao’s death, his four daughters were taken away by Butler Sun. Meanwhile, Liu—who had led Sun Changbiao to join the Lingying Sect—suffered a miscarriage from the shock, and because of her sect affiliation, Second Shopkeeper Xu Beihu expelled her from Xu Ji Courtyard.

Butler Sun arranged a new courtyard for Liu to observe her confinement.

Because Sun Changbiao’s four daughters never joined the Lingying Sect, Li Che spared them. However, his wife was another matter…

She willingly joined the sect and even manipulated Sun Changbiao into harming Li Che’s daughter—the true culprit.

Back then, a witness was needed to guide the testimony, so one life was left spared…

Li Che feared that this woman might continue to lead Lingying Sect disciples in harming XiXi.

Thus…

It was time to clean house.

After donning his gear, Li Che charged into the blowing snow and, moments later, arrived at the southern edge of Feilei City.

Inside a crumbling courtyard, thick, soft snow lay piled high.

Within, a stove fired up boiling water that hissed and filled the space with warmth.

Hidden behind his mask and bamboo hat, clad entirely in black, Li Che moved silently over the snow until he reached the door.

Inside, incense sticks burned, and gray smoke swirled continuously.

Li Che punctured a hole in the paper window with his finger. Peering in, he saw a gaunt figure kneeling before a “Three-Headed, Six-Armed, Wrathful Spirit Infant Statue,” incessantly kowtowing and rubbing his hands.

“Sacred Spirit cleanses the dust, transcending sorrow…”

“The Almighty Above will restore the Li Spirit Infant; may He bless our daughter’s reincarnation…”

Liu chanted devoutly, kneeling in earnest worship.

Watching the wrathful Spirit Infant statue, the Cute Cow Mask on Li Che twitched as a cold killing intent grew in his eyes.

Raising his arm, his sleeve crossbow discharged a swift bolt!

Bang!

The bolt blasted a hole through the head of the wrathful Spirit Infant statue, nailing it to the wall.

The noise instantly alerted Liu inside. In a flash, another bolt from Li Che’s sleeve crossbow pierced Liu’s throat.

Liu’s eyes widened, and even as she spun to face the arrow’s origin, she fixed her gaze on Li Che’s direction.

Her face showed no fear of death; even as blood gushed from her throat, a manic smile spread across it.

“Deputy Xiangzhu… please, I beg you…”

Li Che remained eerily calm.

It was a trap—just as he had expected.

With a heavy stomp, the ground trembled; countless snowflakes exploded into the air as Li Che’s massive form rocketed out of the courtyard.

“You daring thief, where do you think you’re going?!”

A piercing scream—half cry, half laugh—erupted from outside.

Glancing that way, Li Che saw a figure leaping forward. Clad in a gray robe, wielding a knife, and wearing a weeping boy’s mask, his eyes burned like fire.

Nearby, another burly figure wearing a girl’s mask and carrying an Eight Trigram Staff crouched atop the courtyard wall, a wry smile dancing in his eyes.

A brutal aura surged forth, melting the falling snow. The air vibrated with murderous intent as howling winds cried like lost souls!

“So you intentionally ambushed a disciple of Lingying Sect… Who exactly are you?”

A cold voice came from the knife-wielding figure.

Fixing his gaze on the man with the knife, Li Che felt a vague familiarity. In a low, hoarse tone laced with suspicion, he murmured, “Zhao Chuanxiong?”

The courtyard fell silent for a moment before a deep, menacing laugh echoed.

Boom!

In an instant, slashing lights burst forth as the sharp energy of the blade roiled through the courtyard.

Li Che stamped his feet like a roaring dragon and a thundering elephant!

The thick snow below exploded, scattering like hidden weapons.

The slashing energy met a massive snowbank head-on.

Hmm?

A single swipe cut through the snow, though its force was halved; then he sensed a low, sibilant hiss, as if a razor-sharp edge had sliced the air.

A glance from behind his mask made his eyes narrow suddenly!

A thread!

A single silver thread!

Extremely fine and razor-sharp!

As his long sword swept horizontally, a subtle friction trailed along its blade, sending sparks flying.

Then, accompanied by a series of whistling sounds—”whoosh whoosh whoosh”—three arrows screamed through the air almost simultaneously!

Damn!

For a man of his towering build, such underhanded tactics were despicably vicious!

The deputy Xiangzhu with the weeping boy’s mask twirled his long knife; as he retreated, he stomped in the snow, deflecting three arrows with each successive collision.

Yet he didn’t have time to catch his breath.

Under his Cute Cow Mask, Li Che’s eyes ignited with blazing fury. He raised his arm, muscles taut like a drawn bow!

His nearly two-meter, hulking form surged forward like a battering ram, exuding overwhelming pressure.

With a punch that struck like a speeding bullet, the falling snow turned to a misty haze!

It wasn’t a martial technique—just a raw, pure punch.

In a flash, he reached the deputy Xiangzhu’s side.

A fierce blade swung out, its energy clashing with Li Che’s punch. Two-thousand pounds of force erupted as the ripping gust of wind crashed down!

Boom—the sound of collapsing pressure mingled with a groaning wind!

The force smashed into the deputy Xiangzhu’s boy’s mask, shattering it into pieces. Amid the ensuing chaos, Li Che’s face—eerily familiar—came into view.

“Zhao Chuanxiong…”

Li Che stared coldly at the face, confirming that the deputy Xiangzhu was none other than the county’s chief constable.

The act of killing Liu had confirmed Zhao Chuanxiong’s identity…

Today, his mission was complete.

“Attack! Stop just watching! Let’s kill this treacherous, venomous Niu Mo together!”

Zhao Chuanxiong’s expression darkened as he glared at the Cute Cow Mask, now reminiscent of a demonic fiend.

He truly was a massive, unstoppable force—an authentic Niu Mo!

A silhouette on the courtyard wall rose as well, slowly drawing an Eight Trigram Staff. Overwhelming, brutal energy intertwined with the gusts.

“This Niu Mo is merely a Bone-Tempering novice fighter, on par with us. Don’t underestimate him!”

Zhao Chuanxiong stated coldly.

“Hehe, if he can’t even use martial techniques… how could he be of any concern?”

The figure with the girl’s mask sneered and leaped down from the wall, charging toward Li Che with the staff clutched in one hand.

Li Che furrowed his brow, sensing the mounting pressure.

It was clear—it was time to unleash his trump card.

With a light step, Li Che sprang back while his sleeve burst forth with wind.

“Niu Mo, face my Eight Trigram Staff technique!”

A staggering strike followed as countless staff shadows intertwined in a mesmerizing display; wild winds swept aside the flying snow!

The martial technique roared with unstoppable force!

Li Che felt the pressure—he had yet to master any formal martial techniques despite his years of training…

Yet he remained unruffled. With a swift gesture, he released a dense network of spider silk that swirled wildly, enveloping the entire courtyard!

【Xiangong】 Dao Fruit had advanced to lv2, nearing lv3. Li Che wasn’t only adept at crafting mechanisms, his deployment of them was exquisitely precise!

Countless silver spider threads ensnared the heavy Eight Trigram Staff.

Utilizing 【Xiangong】 merged with martial arts!

Li Che raised his hand and then rapidly fired more bolts from his sleeve crossbow: rat-a-tat-tat.

Three consecutive arrows struck, pinning the fighter wielding the Eight Trigram Staff. With a heavy stomp, he leapt onto the courtyard wall.

“Going somewhere? Where do you think you’re sneaking off?!”

“Berserk Blood Blade!”

By now, Zhao Chuanxiong had regained his senses. He drew his sword in a berserk rush, its glow soaring as his energy surged—a martial technique aimed straight at Li Che.

Li Che casually glanced at him.

With a slight tremor, his broad, fan-like palm produced a “Guanyin Blood Lotus”—his last and most potent mechanism weapon.

He crushed the kindly carved Guanyin wooden statue until only the lotus platform remained, then effortlessly flung it away.

“This treacherous Niu Mo… and he also wields hidden weapons?!”

Zhao Chuanxiong’s eyes widened in shock, but his berserk sword assault continued unabated as he pressed on with his slash.

Yet the blood-colored lotus platform inexplicably hovered in midair.

“Boom.”

Then, accompanied by a burst of fire, it exploded and began spinning rapidly.

Amid a flurry of sizzling sounds, countless fine wooden needles—thin as bovine hair and resembling Guanyin’s tears—poured out in torrents.

Tens of thousands of them shot out.

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